Door latch



Feb. 13, 1940. R. E. OTT

DOOR LATCH FiledFeb. 19, 1958 Pmml Feb. 13, 1940 UNITED' STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

'I'his invention rela.tes generaily to door hardwa. re. end particularly te latches for doors.

The main ob;lect of this invention is the constructiono! an exceedingly simple and eflicient 5 form of latch which can be operated by a siiding knob instead of the usual turning knob;

The second object is the construction of a door latch which wiil be easy to manufacture ami install end ea.sy to operate.

10 I accomplish these and other objects in the manner set forth in the following specification as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a. longitudinal section ta.ken along the 15 line I--| in Flg. 3 showing the parts in a. latched posltion.

. Fig. 2 is a. view similar to Fig. 1 showing the parts in on unlatched position.

Fig. 3 is a sectioritaken along the line 3-3 in 20 Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a. fragmentary section teken along the line 4-- in Flg. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged s'ection through the operating parts. 5 Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section showing the construction of the joints on the operating levers. Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the severel views.

Referring in detail to the drawing, there is 30 shown the portion o! a door which is adapted to ciose agalnst the stop I I 01 the frame |2 which is provided with a. recess |3 across which is secured the striker plate Il whose hole registers with the recess I3.

The latch itself is embodied within the casing |3 between whose sides I'| Is slidabiy mounted the reciprocating carrier bo1tr |8 which is held in position between the ears |9. The bolt; IO is provided with a. longitudinal slot 20 within which 40 is mounted the rockable cam taced latch 2| and the toggle levers 22 and 23, the former of which is provided with e. slot 24 through which projects the stem 25 01 the latch operating member 26.

A sleeve 21 is mountedon the stem 25 in a 45 m armer to allow a space 28 to exist between the inembers 28 and 21. The adjacent edges 29 and 3! of the members 26 and 21 are bevelled slightly a.s shown.

A knob 3| is secured to opposite ends 01' the 50 stem 2! by means of the set screws 32. Spacing wa.shers 33 are placet! in the stem 25 between the sleeve 21 and its adjacent knob 3| A spring 34 serves to urge the bolt |8 toward the front 35 01 the la.tch casing IO.

" 'ihe latch 2| 13 in the form of a bell crani:

lever and it pivoted on the pin 33 near its latching tace 3'|,- whereas the toggle lever 22 is hinged to the iatch 2| end a.1So to the toggie lever 23.

A circuiar pla.te 33 surroutids the shank 39 of each knob 3| end serves a.s afguide therefor. 5 A. spring 40 is interposed between the shank 39 and the adjacent side I'l.

The operation of the device is as follows:

When the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1 the toggle levers 22 and 23 are in a. straight line position, that is, the face 31 of the latch 2| is held normai to the striker plate Il and a pressure on the door III which would normally open it will fail to do so by reason of the fact that the face 3! engagesthe side of the hole |5 squa.rely.

If, however, the knobs 3| are moved to the position shown in Fig. 2, then the toggle 1evers 22 and 23 are in a broken position permitting the cam tace 31 to assume an inclined relationship to the striker plate Il so that the pressure will cause the bolt |3 to slide aga.inst the spring 34 and permit the door to open. As soon as the pressure is removed from the knob 3|, it retums under the influence of the spring 40 to the position shown in Fig. 1. Now I! the door is moved to a closed position, then the cam fece il of the la.tch 2| engages the striker pla.te I and causes the bolt |8 to be withdrawn, that is, to dr aw the Iatch 2| into the door structure.

It can be seen trom the foregoing that I have constructed a simpie torm of latch which will not require the rotation of the handie in order to operate same ma.king it possible to open or close the door without the use of the hands at the same time securely holding seme aga.inst an opening movement by wind or any other forc against the door proper.

Obviously, the usual key controlled 10cks may be employed in addition to the latching eiement herein described without departing from the spirit of this invention.

While I have described the members 23 and 24 astoggle levers, it is obvious that a spring could be empioyed which would operate in the same manner. It would merely be a straight; spring fastened ai; its ends to the latch 2| and the bolt IO end 'slotted to receive the reduced portion 25 of the member 26. Obviously, defiection of ths spring by the movement 01' the knob 3| will pro- 5 duce the condition shown in Fig. 2.

I claim:

1. A latch tor doors consisting of a. casing ada.pted to be mounted in a door, a hollow bolt slidably mounted within said casing. a. spring tor rging saldbolt swsy trom the hinse side of ssid door. a latch hinsedly mo1mted in said bolt having one end thereoi' pointed sud ha.vlng the opposite end thereo! hinged at one side to said bolt. a toggle lever tor holding said latch against movement while said lever is in a stra.ight llne position, one portion o! said toggle lever ha.ving a slot formed therein, a siidable stem extending through sa.id slot end connected to sald toggle lever, means tor urging said stexn in a. direction to hold said toggle lever to a straight line position and knobs mounted on the apposite ends ci said stem.

2. A latch for a closure comprising a. casing, a. spring projected reciprocating carrier in sa.id casing, a latching member having opposed cam faces pivoted at one side in said carrier to normslly project therefrom for engagemenhwith a keeper, toggle links having one end connected to the other side of the latching member and the other end connected with the carrier so that when the links are aligned the latching member will be restrained from pivoting, whereby the carrier W'ill be reciproceted upon slamming of the door by engagement of one of the cam faces t the latching member with the keeper, ami

hleans ada.pted to break the toggle links whereby said latching member will pivot to present the other cam face to the keeper so that upon movement of the closure to open condition the carrier will reciprocate' to free the latching 'm'ember from the keepeia 3. A latch for a. closure comprising a casina. a. spring projected reciprocating carrier in said casing, a. latching member ha.ving opposed cam faces pivoted at one side in said carrier end adapted to pivot into end out 0! said carrier to normaily project therefrom tor engagement with a keeper. toggie links within said carrier hsving one end connected 'to the other side of the latching member and the other end connected with the carrier so thai; when the links ar aligned the latching member will be re-' V stra.ined tram pivoting whereby the carrier will latter cam face to disengage from the keeper ami thereby dispose such cam fece in angular relation to the keeper so that upon movement of closure to open condition the carrier will free the latchng member from the keeper.

ROLAND E. orr. 

